Starbucks Worker Allegedly Spit in Cops' Drinks

He's been fired, arrested
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 22, 2020 12:03 AM CDT
Starbucks Worker Arrested for Allegedly Spitting in Cops' Drinks
This June 26, 2019, file photo shows a Starbucks sign outside a Starbucks coffee shop in downtown Pittsburgh.   (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

A New Jersey Starbucks worker was fired and arrested after allegedly spitting in drinks served to police officers. "We got a tip that he had done this," a Park Ridge police captain tells NBC News. Upon investigating, "We believe it happened more than once but we can prove it happened at least once on May 25," he says. Kevin Trejo, 21, was charged this week with subjecting a law enforcement officer to contact with bodily fluid, tampering with a cup of coffee knowing it was purchased by a law enforcement officer, and creating a hazardous environment.

Police were particularly concerned given the coronavirus pandemic, but no officers are known to have become ill. NBC New York reports that some officers will be tested for COVID-19 as a precaution. The police captain says the Starbucks location and the police department have traditionally enjoyed a good relationship, and he doesn't want this incident to change that. "This individual's behavior was reprehensible and not at all a reflection of how our employees treat our customers on a daily basis," a Starbucks rep adds. "We have apologized to the Park Ridge Police department." (More Starbucks stories.)

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